Shloka 133
उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations
द्रोणमेवा भ्यवर्तन्त पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम् । प्रहार करनेमें कुशल छ: हजार प्रभद्रक और पांचाल योद्धा भी शिखण्डीको आगे करके द्रोणाचार्यपर ही चढ़ आये
droṇam evābhyavartanta puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam | prahāra-karaṇe kuśalāḥ ṣaṭ-sahasrāḥ prabhadrakāḥ pāñcālā yoddhā api śikhaṇḍinaṃ agre kṛtvā droṇācāryam eva cāḍhāyayan |
Sañjaya dit : Plaçant Śikhaṇḍin en tête, ils s’avancèrent droit sur Droṇa. Six mille Prabhadrakas, experts à porter les coups, et les guerriers de Pāñcāla aussi, mettant Śikhaṇḍin au premier rang, chargèrent directement Droṇācārya. L’épisode souligne la sombre éthique de la guerre : la formation n’est pas choisie par souci d’équité, mais pour neutraliser un maître invincible en exploitant sa retenue morale.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension: victory in war often depends on exploiting an opponent’s dharmic limits. Droṇa’s moral hesitation regarding Śikhaṇḍin becomes a strategic vulnerability, raising ethical questions about whether tactical necessity can justify morally ambiguous means.
The Pāṇḍava-aligned forces—six thousand Prabhadrakas along with Pāñcāla warriors—advance directly on Droṇa, deliberately placing Śikhaṇḍin at the front. This formation is meant to blunt Droṇa’s resistance and enable a concentrated assault on him.